Switch-rod.



J. A. MCELROY & W. B. FREEMAN.

SWITGH ROD.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24.1912.

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nnTTnn sTnTns PATENT onirica.

JACKSON A. lVICEIlROY .AND WILLIAM B. FREEMAN, OF HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI.

SWITCH-ROD.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed May 24, 1912. Serial No. 699,540.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that we, JACKSON A. MGEL- noY and VILLIAM B. FREEMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Hattiesburg, in the county of Forrest and State of Wississippi, have invented new and useful Iniprovements in Switch-Rods, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad switches, and particularly to connecting rods therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a connecting rod which is yicldable or eXtensible in two directions under strain upon the rod, to prevent the breakage of switch points, switch rods and switch stands by the passage of a train over an improperly set switch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connecting rod which may be applied to existing switch structures without any change or alteration in the construction or arrangement thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a connecting rod in which the springs and movable parts are, to a maximum extent, housed and protected from injury and atmo-spheric influences, as well as from dust, dirt, etc., and which therefore, will be reliable and etiicient in operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a connecting rod which permits ready lubrication of the inclosed parts, the ready drainage of moisture therefrom, and the ready adjustment of the parts to take up any slack.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan Aview showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 through the connecting rod and associated parts. Fig. 4tis a detail view of the piston. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the connection between the switch stand crank and con necting rod.

Referring to the drawing, 1 and 2 designate the main line rails, 3 and d; the branch track or siding rails, and 5 and G the switch points or rails of a railway track, which switch points or rails 5 and 6 are connected for movement in unison by the usual bridle rod 7. 8 designates a switch stand or switch throwing device of any ordinary or suitable construction, the shaft of which is provided with a crank 9.

Our improved connecting rod is substituted for an ordinary rigid connecting rod to couple the bridle rod 7 with the crank 9. As shown, the connecting rod comprises two members or sections 10, and 11. the section 10 being of somewhat greater length than the section 11 and l'iivotally connected at its inner end with the adjacent end of the rod 7, as at 12.

The outer end of the rod section 10 is incloscd within a cylinder or casing 13 having threaded end portions to receive end caps ol heads 111 and 15, the head lll; having an opening 1G through which the rod section 10 is adapted to freely slide. The rod section 11 is enlarged at its outer end to receive a strap 17 secured thereto by bolts 18 and which engages the switch stand crank 9 and couples the connecting rod thereto. rlhc inner end of the shaft section l1 is threaded and engages and projects through a threaded opening 18 in the headv 15, by which it is adjustably fastened to said head, said rod section being provided with a jam nut or lock nut 19 which binds against the head 15 and holds said rod section and head in adjusted position against relative inet-ion.

The outer end of the rod section l() is reduced, and fitted on its reduced portion :20 and arranged to bear against a shoulder 21 formed thereby is a piston or plunger 29, which is secured in position by a nut 23 locked against displacement by a Cotter pin 24.-. Disposed :in the opposite ends of the casing are coiled opposing springs Q5 and QG, the spring 9.5 being arranged to inclose the rod section 10 between the head 141 and one side of the piston, and the spring 2G being arranged between the head 15 and opposite side of the piston. The springs are o't' corresponding strength and operate to normally hold the pistoinin a neutral position, at a. point about midway of the length of the cylinder, and it will be seen that said springs normally connect the rod sections for movement in unison for a switch throwing action, while pernlitting the rod Section 10 to move in either direction under pressure upon the bridle rodTwhcn the switch is set.

The coiled springs are made of such length as to be conll'n'essed to like degrees by the screw caps or heads llt and 15 when the latter are lit-ted in position, so as to obtain a proper counteracting pressure of the two springs upon the piston to maintain the latter in normal position, so that the connectingI tion of manually throwing the switch points.v

rl`he adjustable connection between the casing and rod section ll, however, permits any slack which may occur at any time vto be taken up in a ready and convenient manner, so as to prevent any lost mot-ion between the parts of the connecting rod. rlhe casing or cylinder is provided in its top with an opening 27 normally closed by a screw plug 28, through which opening oil may be introduced to lubricate the cylinder and piston, lwhereby a free and easy motion of the contained parts may be secured. The bottom of the casing or cylinder is provided with a normally open drain port 29, through which any moisture which iinds its way into the casing may drain out. As shown, the piston 22 has its periphery cnt away to provide passages 30 between its faces, to permit flow of the moisture from one portion of the cylinder to the other, as well as to permit of the back and forth passage of air, to prevent the cylinder from becoming air bound. The opening 29 also permits of the inlet and eXit of air for this purpose, while the casing at all times protects the contained parts from dust and dirt, whereby clogging or binding of the parts upon one another is prevented. The casing normally rests upon a yoke shaped bracket 31 secured to the adjacent ties, so as to sustain said casing in a normal horizontal position and prevent sagging of the connecting rod.

ln the operation of the invention, it is apparent that when a train from a siding passes to the main track the switch points will be thrown out of the way by the flanges of the wheels, and assume, as soon as the train has passed said switch points, their normal position, as shown in F ig. l. When the switch is thrown to its opposite position,

'a train passing over the switch will throw" the switch points in the opposite direction. In either instance, therefore, it will be seen that the connecting rod will extend or contract to accommodate itself to the direction of motion of the switch points when pressed aside by the flanges of the wheels, thus preventing damage to the switch points, switch stand or connecting rod when the switch is improperly set.

It will be further apparent that the invention provides a simple, reliable and eilicient construction of connecting rod which may be applied to take the place of an ordinary connecting rod withoutmodifying the switch mechanism, and which is adapted to operate easily at all times and is not liable to get. out of order.

We claim l. A switch rod comprising a casing having a drain opening therein, a rod section coupled to said casing, a second rod section slidably mounted in the casing, a piston movable in the casing and secured to said slidable rod section, said piston being provided with eri heral aassa'es between its faces` C 7 and opposing springs between said piston and the ends of the casing.

2. The combination with supporting ties, of a bracket secured to said ties, a switch rod comprising two telescopically connected rod sections, said connection including a casing supported by said bracket and to which one of the rod sections is fixed and within which the other rod section is slidably mounted, and springs within said casing and exerting yielding opposing pressures against the sliding rod section.

ln testimony whereof we aflX our signatures in presence of two witnessesr JACKSON A. lYlcELROY.` TJVILLLAM B. FREEMAN- Vitnesses:

TIM COLLIER, JAMES A. Lookin.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

